They gave him some fantastic dark humor that really gives some insight to his character and how he viewed the politics and game of the work. "Bunny, you cocksucker, I got to give it to you, a brilliant idea. Insane and illegal, but stone fucking brilliant nonetheless. After all my putting my foot up people’s asses to decrease the numbers, he comes in and in one stroke, gets a fucking 14 percent decrease. Fucking shame it’s gonna end our careers, but still."
It took me until just now to realize what McNulty did in the show context. He "juked the stats", but he juked them in the opposite direction. Making suicides and accidents into murders. He basically did what all his superiors were doing, he just did it backwards. That's made this whole situation extra ironic.
Every goddamn time I make a strong observation in any youtube video, I first scroll down to see, if anyone made and commented the same observation, just in better words. That is exactly how McNulty looks like, or like a kid that fucked up big time and is creeping in home in expectation of whoopin' le grande. I dont know if it's great acting, or if it's just Dominic West himself. He also looks smaller, like Louis De Funes in one of the movies from his Troops series, where he gets berated hard by his adjudant Gerber.
It's the face of a man who has lost the moral high ground. The entire series McNulty is the good cop. He has his shit in his personal life but he was a better police than the "bosses". He has the face of a man disappointed in himself.
I always wondered how McNulty never shat his britches from that stare (he got it many times during this show) and then I realized he must have been shitfaced each time.
Shit how did he not shit brix as a Actor seeing another Actor look at him that way? That state is so God damn real it practically reaches out of the screen!
I think he was half proud and half disappointed. He knew the mayor let them all down and admired the ingenuity to make something right but at the same time thinking just be a cop not a hero.
@@shahidulkhan9566 He's a brilliant piece of character work. Exactly like you said, very aware of the big picture but also majorly concerned with looking out for #1 (himself and his department). So many of the leadership roles on the show were written this way but they really knocked it outta the park with Rawls.
What I find interesting about this scene is that Rawls is most enraged not by McNulty's admissions of guilt, or the fact that a copycat killer is on the loose, but by McNulty's repeated assertion that it wasn't about the money. He looked ready to punch McNulty for trying to take the high ground and claim he wasn't corrupt.
Well of course! McNulty's dirty as hell in his own way, just like everyone on the show is dirty. Only difference is McNulty's so wrapped up in his own self-righteousness that he acts like he's above everyone. Rawls is a scumbag too but when he's caught McNulty out and McNulty is still throwing his incorruptibility in Rawls' face, I'm surprised McNulty DIDN'T get punched.
JimmySteller Rawls was coaching McNulty there. If shit hits the fan McNulty has to fall how they tell him. That he manipulated the case to get more overtime, had a gambling problem, child support...it was all because of the money. No talk of a copycat, nothing about a fake serial killer, or marlo... any of that would be very embarrassing for the PD and Carcetti.
@@chrisgino3906 but why would mcnulty be willing to take the fall what kind of leverage does rawls have that will make mcnulty wanna not fuck rawls over??
He is coaching him into an financial motive. Daniels does something similar with Prez after he shoots the cop, give him a line to repeat. 'You shouted police, right?'
But at the same time, he left the door open. Daniels once stole money, he knows what it's like to go native. He could have scored all sorts of points from burning McNulty but he didn't because he understands. This is the stare that a 40 year old employee gives to a 30 year old employee. "Brother, you fucked up but I understand it. I still have to burn you for this shit."
That hospital scene in season1 was incredible, I was definitely already loving the show but that scene had me hooked. Also loved how Rawls was in that gay bar and they just never address that again lmao
@@kevinhillary4057yeah, chekhov's gun plot writing style kinda makes everything unrealistic, these small details that go nowhere make the show feel like real life
not quite true, theres a scene later where mcnultys sargeant (i forgot the name) is in the toilet, reads rawls sucks cock on the wall and laughs about it, indicating that people know
I was genuinely concerned Daniels *WAS* going to punch McNulty. Daniels looked like he wanted to McNulty the kind of shellacking that would make Bird realize he got off easy.
0:22 .. That interrogation room door opens and Rawls fills the screen with that posture and that expression on his face. Wonderful direction and cinematography. The Wire is just the best.
the funny thing is, Rawls still DIDN'T get it that McNulty - and Freamon - pulled this scheme not for the money but for the legitimate reason of getting Marlo and his crew. He kept threatening that they'll never see any OT like as though that mattered.
Suutari4 funny thing is they both worked for a time. Damn shame that Baltimore is such a shitty city and the police department so corrupt and inept that they had to break the law to solve crime problems. Basically becoming crooks to stop crooks what it boils down to.
Where you ever in a room with the Superintendent though? I'm a cop as well, it's one thing to get yelled at by a Sargent or a Lieutenant, but our roll call one time was chewed out by our district commander and you could hear a pin drop. And the commander was a natural leader as well, not some meritorious promoted commander that nobody respected.
therealist811 love in season 1 when Jimmy pisses off then major rawls (can't remember how exactly) but rawls comes out & trashes jimmy's desk... While landsman looks on & tells him that it's the wrong desk & Jimmy sits over there.... Bahahaha
When the door opens and you see Rawls standing there, it reminds me of seeing Darth Vader waiting for Han Solo in the dining room of Cloud City. It sort of catches you off guard.
Say what you will about McNulty, but he did put down that last case and got the mentally disturbed killer off the streets in like three minutes of detective work.
@@Raphie009 no way. Lester was "The Wire". He literally had to teach everyone about wiretaps. He brought Avon into the light. He discovered the vacant murders. He put the screws to Clay Davis. He made the fake serial killer bullshit a bit more believable. He worked Marlo to the end. McNulty was good but his best skill was crying to a judge or a newspaper when he didn't get his way. He was no better than Bunk but Bunk wasn't a boat rocker.
@@godspeedelijah Like Digital bath said lol McNulty's ideas like building a case against Avon and starting the serial killer thing, while Lester was able to execute it further..So McNulty did more than just whine to the judge lol
Rawls is really surprised that it wasn't about the money, as if it escapes his comprehension that there are people who actually do the job to solve cases -- like McNulty and Freamon. However, the latter two were fired and dudes like Rawls who would sell their mother for a promotion while not genuinely caring about the actual police work become Superintendent.
I have been watching this video since years and always look for your comment. Amazing job of noticing that. Rawls wanted it to be "about the money" and couldn't swallow that it actually wasn't. It clearly shows in how he walks out of the room.
Can’t help but disagree. I think what made Rawls even more mad is the fact that Mcnulty claims that it isn’t about the money. He doesn’t believe him. At least that’s how I saw it. But it’s probably because a guy like Rawls would only ever do something like this for the money.
stuckonautomatic Yeah. In Rawls’ mind, McNulty not doing this for the money showed that he wasted everyone’s time, money and resources for his own pleasure. Which is why McNulty reassuring “It’s not about the money” made him even more furious, and inches away from putting hands on him, but he instead proceeds to tell him to finish what he started, or else. Although taken too far, McNulty’s plan actually brought some of the most heinous killers in Baltimore to justice, but the bosses are only concerned about covering their asses, stats and politics.
Going to disagree, I don’t think the angry reaction was because Rawls thought it was about the money and relates to his own motivations. I think his anger was that 1) whether it was about the money or not the money was still spent, and Jimmy’s response seems to disregard this as totally irrelevant. From a managerial perspective money is closely scrutinised and accounted for in any large government organisation. It’s McNulty’s ignorance of the wider consequences of what he did. 2) It’s the petulance of Jimmy’s response - his stubbornness in face of the situation he’s in. He’s done. Finished. And yet he’s still arguing the small detail when really the managers in the room are dealing with the fall out re the bigger picture. 3) it’s back to the first foundations of McNulty and Rawl’s mutual hatred for each other - the lack of respect for the chain of command. Rawls is expecting McNulty to do the decent thing - shut up, nod, and fall on his sword, but as Rawls puts to him in the final episode “you are a **** hair away from indictment and you see fit to argue with me.”
McNulty, one of the best real person characters of any TV series. He had a stubborn drive. Hung out with him at my local bar in NYC when he visited on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Actor seemed like a good dude, glad to pose for pic and chat for a few minutes. Was happy to hear he was appreciated from the Wire, even if long ago.
@@euclidesoliveira3034 it doesn't even matter. He might have just been curious and enjoyed flirting with the idea of it without actually cheating on his wife or anyone. Maybe he did. Either way who cares.
McNulty shit himself. A Rawls that is so pissed that he actually sounds kind of calm. A Daniels standing in the cut staring a hole into your soul. They both looked liked they were doing everything in their power not to swing on his silly ass
Love the contrast between Rawls exit (finger in in McNulty's face, quick step out and door close) and Daniels' exit (death stare, slow and deliberate walk, only breaks eye contact at the last possible moment).
@@bmejia837 3 years too deep but I wasnt referring to him saying it or not just found it kinda sad that everything Daniel's and McNulty went through together there bond and this was there last conversation or lack thereof
I always liked the idea that part of why Rawls hates McNulty so much throughout the series is that McNulty reminds him of a young version of himself when he had ideals, before he chose to climb the careerist ladder.
I always found it hilarious that, even in the tensest of situations, Rawls kicks it off with a joke. "You're not killing them yourself, McNulty? At least assure me of that."
rawlins delivers the funniest line of the season here..."you're not killing them yourself,mcnulty at least assure us of that" ..john doman was expertly cast...every scene he was in was a treat....hahahaha
@@Shamino1 Campus Police have Detectives/Investigators too. Just about every law enforcement agency in the USA has some type of investigative division.
Good old Rawls. He hates McNulty so much that he starts with the worst case scenario that McNulty might actually be a serial killer. He is visibly relieved when McNulty denies it.
@@basti2955 That's the fucked up thing. I've worked in government, nothing as extreme as Baltimore PD, but near enough to recognize Rawls, Valcheck and Burell are all types you encounter in any large bureaucracy. Of them, Rawls is actually your best case scenario for a boss. Compared to a vicious little hack like Valcheck, or a slimy fuck like Burell? Rawls is someone you can live with and actually get some decent work done. He recognizes good work, he's competent, he doesn't fuck people without good reason, and as the man said "When I fuck you over, you'll know it. You'll be so goddamn certain, you won't need to ask the question." Which is honestly better than being stabbed in the back. Daniels is another type, but he's a type that is always held back by actually caring about the work and not playing the game. If you find a highly placed Daniels, they are always fucking brilliant people, because they need to be to overcome the handicap of caring. They tend to burn out though, as would have happened to Daniels had he not caught some lucky breaks.
@@Sarcasmiccc He was compliant in every lie and scheme his superiors pulled, though, including THIS last scheme the Carcetti ordered to keep going. Don't over-hype him.
It’s a pity how McNulty and Daniels’ relationship completely derailed by the end of the show. Daniels gave McNulty too many second chances, and McNulty always took advantage of that to do something bad and make Daniels look like a fool. I know many fans are angry at Kima, for having informed on McNulty and Freeman, but the sad truth is that if they had gotten away with this fake serial killer situation, they would have done it again and worse. It wound the stop until both went to jail.
Ellis Potter Yeah, he's not over the top with his acting, he's very subtle. He doesn't need to shout to to gain your attention, only very good actors are capable of that.
What I love most about this scene is before when McNulty is questioned by the bosses he had a smug indifferent defiant attitude to him..this time he just has total fear in his eyes and is looks like he is about to shit his pants.
What I loved and hated about this show was that there are superiors in the police, sheriffs and corrections department that do the same shit Rawls and Daniels do........smh skim the stats but boy let one of their underoos do the same thing
like when politicians steal/do dirty it’s “politics” and “normal” but when someone of a lower level does it it’s ”criminal” and ousted from society the hypocrisy is subtle
How did so many amazing actors in The Wire not go on to be absolute stars? Rawls, Siim Charles, Marlo, Landsman, Poot, Bodie, Michael, Wee-Bey, Namond, Chris? I don't get it, all of these actors were straight up amazing and yet look at the schmucks that we have to put with half the time? All very strange.
Rawls was smart as hell. He knew everything and could be a force for good and evil. He figured out the game and knew how to move the pieces around on the board. 😂😂😂
Man, Rawls is one of my FAVORITE “police captain characters” in any form of media. He just has this way about him when he confronts you where you’re not entirely sure if you should be LAUGHING WITH HIM or SHITTING YOUR PANTS IN TERROR.
I’m a 32-year-old man that feels like a child about to get an ass whipping every time Daniels delivers one of those death stares. That shit is intimidating without him even needing to speak
Interesting parallels between McNulty and Frank Sobotka. Both were unable to help those around them through proper channels and had to resort to breaking the rules. At least McNulty was protected by bureaucracy and didn't suffer the same fate as Frank.
Colonel Hart That might have been the case back in January, before we got a chance to see how the Mannis deals with inclement weather. tl;dr: NO HE'S NOT. NO HE'S FUCKING NOT.
+MoRiellyMoProblems first one talking some sense. You cannot compare ANYTHING to the wire. None of those shows will ever be as good. The wire was lightning in a bottle and it is gonna take hard work, talent and a whole lot of luck to ever be close to what this show was and continues to be.
What some seem to miss is Daniels holier-than-thou act. He's always about being straight, not overstepping the rules, yet from the beginning his superiors always had leverage over him. So at least he was crooked at some point. Yet he judges others like he got a white and untainted vest.
He was young and it was his entire unit that he was in at the time. The entire unit was skimming drug money and distributing it among the detectives of that unit. It wasn't like he was actively on the take and he regretted it. It also was 20+ years before the first season.
@@johnnydoeing9133 - You're forgetting Daniels getting Prez out of the shit for partially blinding a kid because he felt like it. The perfect bookend to that, is the kid telling Daniels to go fuck himself when Daniels tries to go all mentor on the kid. There is no pure evil or pure good in the world. That's the main theme of the show.
@@speedyspooley The best part is Daniels getting Prez, Carver, Herc out of the shit, and then later on Carver writing up his subordinate because of his aggression. Shows the change in Carver.
The fact which gave this scene so much tension is SO MANY people have been beaten brutally by police in this room, and I don't think Daniels would stop Rawls from kicking Jimmy within an inch of his life. Hell, he might join in.
I always liked Rawls, he was an asshole, but he wasn't dirty. Remember how he counseled McNulty after the female cop got shot? Wasn't exactly a hug it out moment, but Rawls basically told him that despite the fact McNulty is an irresponsible a-hole, it wasn't his fault.
2009worstyearever There was that one Colonel who died from cancer, he was clean and actually got along well with his subordinates. Landsman even remarked how near-impossible a guy like him was.
at 1:37 you can see McNulty eye up Rawls as he's stepping at him.... without saying a word, you know he's thinking, "How far is he gonna go? is this guy fixing to put hands on me?" great acting
Probably because McNulty's determination to be a legit police gets under Rawls' skin. Maybe Rawls used to be like McNulty? Maybe he hates McNulty so much that the idea of McNulty being selfless is unacceptable?
LOL Mcnulty is anything but selfless. He is completely ego driven and convinced he's smarter and better at police work than everyone else. For McNulty it was ultimately put in his argument with Bunk, that the police (McNulty) gets to win, not gangsters like Marlo. McNulty was playing a game, and in the end would do lots of heinous shit to "win" it.
People motivated by money are easier to manipulate and threaten. Even decent cops can be intimidated with threats on their pensions or overtime. But there's no leverage on McNulty, because the only thing that motivates him is pride. Its like how Stringer tries to pay off Omar and Brother.
The dynamic between McNulty and Daniels is so interesting. Both have their share of dirt, but theyre like chaotic good vs lawful good. Daniels was insubordinate by being lawful, refusing to juke the stats. McNulty will bend for his idea of the greater good by any means necessary.